Pan Trinbago Inc will continue its community outreach initiative by staging its first Pan in De Countryside event for the year in Tamana on March 19.
Embellishing this annual series of open-air concerts, Pan Trinbago has added new attractions to the programme including a farmers’ market and visit to the bat caves in Tamana.
Pan in De Countryside is one of the more popular events staged by Pan Trinbago. Now in its sixth year, the concert-styled event features some of the country’s top performing steel orchestras.
Participating steelbands in Tamana are 2016 National Panorama winner Desperadoes, Sangre Grande Cordettes, Diatonics Pan Institute, Star Sapphire, Option1 and host band Tamana Pioneers.
Pan Trinbago will be providing a shuttle service/excursion with a limited number of seats at $150 per person. Maxis will depart Pan Trinbago Head Office Car Park, Park Street, Port-of-Spain, at 1 pm. For further information, call 623-4486 or 625-3556.
There will be steelpan memorabilia, art and craft. An outdoor farmers’ market is an added feature, at which patrons can purchase fruit, vegetables, prepared food and beverages directly from the farmers.
In addition, the host band, Tamana Pioneers, is inviting interested people to visit the historic Tamana Bat Caves (guided tour) for a small fee of $25. The famous Tamana Bat Caves are a prime vampire bat habitat and home to 11 of the 67 bat species here. Stephen Broadbridge (eco-tour pioneer and photographer) describes it as an exciting journey to visit the creepy, crawly world of the vampire bat. He added that Tamana is also a sacred mountain to the Guarahoons, a South American Amerindian tribe.
Pan in De Countryside is a Pan Trinbago initiative to take the steelbands to far-flung areas of T&T in a bid to expose the steelbands to a wider cross-section of the population in their own environment.
Parliament representative Fitzgerald Hinds and Port-of-Spain Mayor Kerron Valentine were noticeably absent last week Thursday evening when Desperadoes Steel Orchestra held an ecumenical evening of Prayers & Thanksgiving service at its temporary Frederick Street panyard in Port-of-Spain. Hosted by acting chairman of Despers Elders Association Victor Copeland, the event was attended by a large audience.
In keeping with the solemnity of the occasion, no alcohol was sold or served and guests were requested to refrain from smoking.
Proceedings were opened by RC priest Father Clive Harvey and included powerful and inspiring presentations by Orisa babalorisa Olatunji Samaorin, Anglican priest Rev Belgrave and Baptist priest Pastor Curtis Valentine.
Addresses were given by Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz, Desperadoes manager Curtis Edwards, captain Kelvin Holder and Danielle Chow, a long standing “friend” of the band. The band’s executive was blessed and anointed by Rev Belgrave.
A vote of thanks by the band’s assistant manager Darryl Rajpaul ended the evening’s formalities after which guests were fed and treated to a performance by Sapophonics of Carenage.
The 2016 comPANions sporting tourney got off to an excellent start last Friday at bpTT Renegades Pan Theatre on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain. Nineteen steel orchestras participated in the first elimination round of the All Fours competition. The weekend’s competition continued on Saturday night at Desperadoes’ Frederick Street panyard.
After two nights of exciting competition, witnessed by huge turnouts, Fascinators/Scherzando combined and Desperadoes led the way in the standings on nine points each. In their wake, with six points apiece, are Harmonites, Pamberi and Modernaires.
The fun and competition continues tonight at 8 pm with 5-a-side football and continuing All Fours at Curepe Scherzando panyard. All Fours competition continues tomorrow and Sunday.
In the latest pan news, Pan Trinbago Inc is reminding members that registration for the National Panorama Competition 2017 has been extended to Friday, March 18.
Completed forms are to be submitted to the various Regional Offices ie Northern, South/Central, Eastern and Tobago, on or before closing date.
A questionnaire will be distributed at a later date to collate data on the band’s tune of choice.
The registration of players will also accompany the questionnaire.
Bands should note that Pan Trinbago is not responsible for the payment of transportation of instruments and players.
National Panorama Finals (Medium & Large Conventional Bands) take place on Saturday, February 25, 2017 with the Small Conventional and Single Bands Finals on Thursday, February 23.
•
•
•
Soca on Billboard
Fox Fuse has announced that this year’s popular soca hits have made it to the Billboard charts. The Fox Fuse release stated that the year’s biggest soca hits are shining in the international spotlight as blockbuster soca compilation Get Soca 2016 debuted at #10 before quickly climbing to #7 last week, on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart, thereby securing Billboard status for all the producers, artists and musicians involved.
The Get Soca franchise, of which this is its second edition, is the annual flagship compilation from Fox Fuse, the world’s largest soca and chutney music label and distributor. Get Soca 2016 was released worldwide on February 25, known to soca aficionados as Fantastic Friday, and is the only soca hits compilation released during Trinidad Carnival, for a second consecutive year.
This definitive soca collection features the top hits from the 2016 Carnival season, from soca’s biggest hit-makers, all on one album, and is now available from all major digital retailers worldwide. The album garnered international spotlight, scoring a coveted top banner on the iTunes US Reggae section and a feature on the iTunes US Reggae New Music chart, during its week of release. It also debuted at #1 on the iTunes T&T Reggae Top Albums chart, at #4 on the iTunes US Reggae Top Albums chart and at #5 on the iTunes UK Reggae Top Albums chart.
Jammed with 21 blockbuster songs, Get Soca 2016 presents the soundtrack of T&T’s Carnival, Barbados’ Crop Over, Grenada’s Spicemas, St Lucia’s Lucian Carnival and Antigua Carnival, for festivalgoers and international soca aficionados. This sizzling collective of soca gems will have everyone jamming as it perfectly captures the essence of Carnival and brings the sounds of these rich, Caribbean cultural celebrations to the international masses, year round.
Get Soca 2016 features the kings and queens of Carnival, including the 2015 International Soca Monarch and Road March king Machel Montano and the 2015 International Groovy Soca Monarch Olatunji Yearwood; reigning Party Monarch, Road March champion and STAG Jam Tune winner Peter Ram (Barbados); current Jumpy Soca Monarch Ricardo Drue (Antigua); world-renowned soca stars Farmer Nappy, Destra Garcia, Kees Dieffenthaller, Patrice Roberts, Nadia Batson and Denise Belfon, alongside soca sensations Shal Marshall, GBMNutron, Erphaan Alves and Lavaman, in addition to rising stars Sekon Sta, Cloud 5, Jahmoun, Terri Lyons, Sedale and Fireyahs.
Legendary soca icon Crazy rounds out this full spectrum of sounds from across the Caribbean, which is bound to electrify soca fans globally.
Get Soca 2016 is curated by Fox Fuse owners Zack Cohen and Rhona Fox. “We’re always thrilled to bring Caribbean music and our Fox Fuse clients—every single producer, artiste and musician who contributes to each song—to the mainstream masses,” states Fox.
“Success for our clients and their music translates to success for the countries, cultures and people overall,” adds Cohen. “So we will continue our investment in Caribbean music and keep working to build its industry and thus presence, in the global marketplace.”
•
•
•
Workshop today - Jazz Artistes on the Greens tomorrow
Headline act at the hugely popular Jazz Artistes on the Greens event this year will be Toronto-based Cuban jazz trumpeter Alexis Baro and his Quintet. The University of T&T, in partnership with Production One Limited presents yet another amazing workshop opportunity. As has become customary Alexis et al will lead this free workshop to music educators, musicians and general jazz aficionados on the day before the big event.
The workshop takes place today, at 4.30 pm, at UTT’s John S. Donaldson Campus (Room 209/210), Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.
Jazz Artistes on the Greens 2016 will be held tomorrow at The Greens, Wasa Grounds, Farm Road, St Joseph and will feature Baro, Dean Williams & TriniJazz Band, Dane Gulston, Jason “Fridge” Seecharan and Moricia Cagan and Clifford Charles. Showtime is 3.30 pm.